Pirate Banned From Using Linux

dsinc writes "A guy who uploaded the latest Star Wars movie got arrested, pleaded guilty to 'conspiracy to commit copyright infringement' and 'criminal copyright infringement' and got jail and home confinement. As part of his home confinement, he agreed to install some tracking software on his computer. The problem is He's an Ubuntu Linux user and the gov't doesn't have any tracking software for Linux. So he's been told that he must use Windows for the term of his confinement. Looks like a case of cruel and unusual punishment to me"

Wow

[rolfwind]

I'm glad my tax dollar are so hard at work protecting the poor corporations. I was worried there for a second.

Transcript from Court Case

[eldavojohn]

United States Magistrate Judge Carla Woehrle: After pleading guilty, you are hereby sentenced to confinement at your house ...
Marc Hoaglin: No change in lifestyle there.
Judge Carla Woehrle: ... and to serve up to 6 months jail time ...
Marc Hoaglin: Sure, why not? I'll get a chance to lift some weights.
Judge Carla Woehrle: ... and to install government monitoring software on your computer ...
Marc Hoaglin: I guess that's only fair.
Judge Carla Woehrle: ... that only runs on Windows.
Marc Hoaglin: DO NOT WANT!!!

Damn them!

[eln]

This is clearly a Ninja plot.

And on the seventh day, he recompiled from source

[richdun]

The problem is He's an Ubuntu Linux user

And here I was hoping God used Mac OS X (yes, I'm sure there's a "daemon" joke in there, but I'll leave it at one bad joke per post).

Good to know

[hax0r_this]

I've been wondering if that software works on Linux. Good to know that it doesn't.

sudo apt-get install evil-government-monitoring-program

The utlimate penalty

[Skiron]

You will install MS Vista and install tracking software; you will also pay $300.00 licence fee to MS. You will also install MSOffice2007 _and_ also pay the licence fee. Once this is done, you will ALWAYS vote yes for ooxml.

Feisty Fawn not so innocent

[Mr. Lwanga]

Sounds like the latest "Catch a Hacker" episode of Dateline NBC. Ace investigative reporter Michelle Madigan uncovers a new operating system used by hackers, pirates and cybercriminals to go on an internet crime spree. What is Ubuntu and why is the government helpless to stop it?

Best reason of all to swtich

[Torodung]

the gov't doesn't have any tracking software for Linux

Gee. That sounds like a bulletproof marketing slogan for any distro.

"Linux: The only operating system the NSA doesn't 0wn."

--
Toro

I have an idea...

[Arceliar]

This looks like a job for a rootkit!

Quick, someone call Sony, maybe they can help!

So can he use a pirated version of Windows?

[Kazoo the Clown]

Or are they going to buy a legit copy for him?

Re:Transcript from Court Case

[Anonymous Coward]

Maybe he can run the tracking software under WINE?

Re:So? Can't he use a Windows box to route?

[maxwell demon]

Or he could have offered them to port the tracking tool to Linux. :-)

Cruel and unusual?

[deviated_prevert]

If the punishment was truly cruel and unusual the judge would have sentenced him to use Gentoo.

Re:So? Can't he use a Windows box to route?

[superpulpsicle]

They can really punish him by making him run windows ME.

Well at least somebody's happy...

[xednieht]

Watch Redmond stop the presses and do a nationwide ad campaign on this one...

I can see it now "Reformed Cyber-criminal chooses Vista over Linux - claims he has 'seen the light' (on his shiny new ankle bracelet)".

Re:So? Can't he use a Windows box to route?

[rickb928]

"They can really punish him by making him run windows ME."

Um, They can really punish him by making him * try* to run windows ME.

but wait, there's more . . .

[hawk]

Surely, somewhere within the bowels of redmond, there remains a copy of "Microsoft Bob" . . .

hawk

Re:Linux is my life man

[kaizokuace]

just when he gets the chance to get a life he is not allowed to leave his house!

Re:IP = $$$

[marcello_dl]

It's still unfair. I mean, he got jail for distributing that star wars fluff, while the pirates of the vastly superior space 1999 still can use linux whenever they please!

The happy ending

[Anonymous Coward]

So he decides to break down and install Windows. After he's finished, he calls up the FBI and says "OK, I've installed Windows. How do I install the monitoring software?" and the operators says "OK. Here's what you've got to do..." and gives a loooong list of instructions. So the guy says "Holy crap! I've got to do all that?!" and the FBI operator says, "I'm just kidding. It came with the OS. Have a nice day."

Obligatory...

[Cryacin]

NT phone home...

Re:So? Can't he use a Windows box to route?

[infaustus]

Unfortunately, arson is also a crime, so I really have no say in what they do in my name.

Re:So? Can't he use a Windows box to route?

[Jugalator]

Careful now... Windows gateways, virtual machines, ... ? This is voodoo for an average gov't worker. It's technologies that can be used for terrorist activities too!

Re:A better solution

[DrSkwid]

Or the feds could just release the source code. I presume they bought it as part of the contract, or else they are reckless fools.

Re:Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

[zcsteele]

Mandating Windows to a computer expert so they can be tracked for piracy is like mandating a Chrysler mini-van to a farmer because he beat his wife. Sure, you can carry produce to market in a mini-van, but making the farmer buy a new Chrysler mini-van to replace his perfectly functional Toyota pickup truck is absurd.

You have two giraffes. The government requires you to take harmonica lessons.

Wow... this is hard to believe

[Anonymous Coward]

A guy caught pirating is a FOSSie?

That's pretty hard to believe. I thought all FOSSies only wanted to crack DVDs to watch them on teh Lunix. That's what they've been saying all these years...

Next thing you know, the Feds will try getting me to buy the BS claim that people using console mod chips aren't only doing so to use homebrew.

Re:So? Can't he use a Windows box to route?

[cafucu]

Surely this would violate his eighth amendment rights [wikipedia.org].

Re:So? Can't he use a Windows box to route?

[Anonymous Coward]

And pirates cause RIAA and MPAA lawyers to drink causing them to kill families of 4. Now do you think piracy is such a harmless crime?

Re:Why...

[geobeck]

...he uploaded before the movie was even in the theaters. That is going to annoy many people.

So annoying many people makes a crime worse? Better hope that Gilbert Gottfried, Fran Drescher, or Simon Cowell never get picked up for shoplifting, or they'll get the chair!

Re:A better solution

[Randseed]

He should just violate copyright and post the software to The Pirate Bay and let people have a crack at it (pun intended).

Re:but wait, there's more . . .

[Architect_sasyr]

We want to torture the man, not break his spirit and destroy his soul!

Re:So? Can't he use a Windows box to route?

[InvalidError]

Why not Windows 3.0/3.1 while we're at it? No IP stack out-of-the-box means he'd have to go back to dial-up BBSes at least long enough to download one. With neither USB nor large volume support, his download options (usable storage space) would also be severely restricted.

This is assuming Win3.x still runs on relatively recent hardware... but IIRC, the Win3.11 installer crashed on my P3 last time I tried it just for the heck of it.

Re:So? Can't he use a Windows box to route?

[TheRaven64]

The same law really does apply to people who use Macintoshes, no matter what you may think.

It does? Well that's no good. What's the point of a built in reality distortion field if you can't use it for nefarious purposes?

Re:Thank god I don't live in a retarded nation

[Sneakernets]

And where would that be? International Copyright Laws don't apply where you live?

Or did you forget to post AC?

Re:So? Can't he use a Windows box to route?

[Midnight Thunder]

They can really punish him by making him run windows ME.

How about Vista? According to the Apple ads it comes bundled with a security guy to decide what you can and can't do, though I don't know whether to take that at face value ;)

Re:So? Can't he use a Windows box to route?

[Unlikely_Hero]

I thought it was like one of those Buddhist Zen "Koan" things... like "What is the sound of one hand clapping?"
"how do you run windows me?"

Re:So? Can't he use a Windows box to route?

[AllergicToMilk]

"Then again I've worked for several newspapers as a writer, copy editor, and layout editor and I've had my sense of humor beat out of me."

There, fixed it for ya.

Re:So? Can't he use a Windows box to route?

[kimvette]

No, because [Continue][Cancel]unlike Windows[Continue][Cancel] Me, Windows [Cancel][Allow]Vista actually [Continue][Cancel]works.

Oblig

[jon287]

Run or run not. There is no try.